Abdominal belt



F. G. BAUGATZ.

ABDOMINAL BELT. APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1918.

1,392,101, j PatentedSept. 27,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

\ Zia/672507 m e/ks seks; 7 Baa ix F. G. BAUGATZ.

ABDOMINAL BELT- I APPLICATION FILED MAY'ZO, 1918. 1,392,101 a PatentedSept. 27, 1921,

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

FUNITED STA. as PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERIG cnoncns BAUGATZ, or PARIS, rnancn.

ABDOMINAL BELT.

i 7 Application. filed May 20,

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, FREDERIO Gnonens BAUGATZ, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing at 37 Boulevard des- Capucines, Paris, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Abdominal Belts, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to abdominal belts or similar articles, and particularly, to those intended to be worn by women during pregnancy.

, reduced, by means, such asstitchings, bands or gores, extending at right angles or 0bliquely to the direction of elasticity, a lower non-elastic border being also provided, if desired. i

Other features of the invention will be hereinafter more particularly described.

The invention willbe understood from the following description and the accompany ing drawings, which, however, are given simply by way of example.

' Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing show two explanatory views.

Fig. 3 shows, in front view, the front part of a band according to the invention.

' Fig. 4 shows,in front View, the back part of the band.

Fig. 5 shows, in a side view, and on a similar scale, the band in place on the body of a woman.

Fig. 6. finally shows,'in front View, the back part of a slightly modified band.

According to theinvention, in making a band adapted to support the abdomen of a woman during pregnancy, that is to say a band which, while holding the abdomen and supporting the lower part, allows it rela tively considerable freedom particualrly in the upper part, I may proceed as follows:

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a band of elastic fabric a is taken, which is extensible in the direction of its length, that is to say Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 27,1921- 1918. Serial No. 235,563.

in the direction F) b, and a certain number of suitable non-elastic elements are provided such, for example, as strips 0 of non-elastic material secured by stitching and extending from the lower edge of thefabric atright angles or obliquely tothe direction 6 I). up a certain distance from said edge, for instance 7 one third of the height. These non-elastic elements are arranged 'at'suitable intervals whereby to effect a decided reduction of the elasticity of the part of the band to which they are applied, so that if the two ends of the fabric are stretched apart, equally over the whole width, the effect will be assuming that the part which does not include the stitchings or bands 0 is given a great extensionthat the fabric will be drawn out in the shape of a fan, as shown I in Fig. 2, the effect being considerablyincreased, if there is applied to the lower edge (Z of the fabric a border of non-elastic fabsired, with interruptions,

To apply this arrangement to a band the front part of it is formed of elastic material ric. Such a border may be formed, if dea (Fig. 3) arranged so that its elastic elements lie in the direction of the length of the band; and this material is cut to a suit able shape, for instance approximately to the shape of ahalf-oval, the straight edge of which forms the upper edge of the band.

The lower part of the material is providedwith a border of non-elastic material 0, and, preferably, this border extends up to the upper edge of the elastic material, so as to utilize the part c of the side edges of the material a for connecting the front portion of the band to theback portion.

Non-elastic elements '0 are associated with the fabric at, extending across the lower portion, that is from the lower edge toward the upper edge to an extent not exceeding onehalf of the height of the fabric. 7

On the other hand, the back portion of the band is suitably formed, either simply by an elastic band connected at its twoends to the edges 6 of the front part by means of buttons or hooks, or by two elastic bands connected together at the middle of the back by laces or other fastenings or, preferably, as shown in Fig. 4 by two sets of several elastic bands 7 f 7, arranged one above the other, and suitably connected as by stiffeners g, of-whalebone, the two sets'being connected together either by buttons or, preferably, by lacing h, as in corsets.

In the latter case as the lacing at the back acts on strong whalebones or stiffeners, as shown in the drawings, the band provides a perfectly stiff back which supports the back while supporting the front part in a suitable manner; that is to say conveniently supporting the lower part while allowing its normal development, owing to the lateral elastics and permitting the upper part of the ab domen to develop more freely owing to the lateral elastics and to the elasticity of the upper front portion.

The stiff back part it of theband, may be in a single piece, or, referably, in two parts connected together, in any suitable manner, for example, by means of laces or straps, arranged so as to allow the two parts to be drawn together-when the band is in position, this arrangement of the two parts allowing the band to be undone from the back.

Preferably the back part is arranged relatively higher than the side part.

lVhen the back h is made in two parts a third intermediate whalebone h may be added, as shown in Fig. 6, of variable dimensions thereby allowing the corset to be lengthened at the back, without letting out the lacing.

Preferably the edge c has several sets of buttons or fastenings in order to allow, in a simple manner, the tightening of the band.

In this way a band is provided of which the front part while holding and supporting the abdomen from below, has suflicient elasticity, increasing from the base upward, to allow the abdomen the necessary freedom during pregnancy.

Further in the case where the back part is formed in a rigid manner, the said back part, owing to its rigidity acts as a solid support for the back and as a support for the lower portion of the front part. I

This band llows pregnancy to develop normally, whereby the band can, without any regulating be worn by a woman during the last four months of her pregnancy.

At the lower part, where the front part is indeformable the lower side elastic bands f can undergo a certain lengthening, this lengthening being such, for instance, as to allow the bandat the bottom to increase in circumference about 15 centimeters, which is enough to allow the necessary increase during pregnancy at the hips, while supporting the lower part of the abdomen; at the upper part, on the contrary, development is not in any way interfered with, slnce, on

the one hand, the side elastic bands 7 can lengthen, for instance, 15 centimeters, while the upper portion of the front part can also extend, for instance from about 10 to 15 centimeters. i

It will be understood that the band is formed so as to support chiefly thelower part of the abdomen, without completely enveloping the infant, thus allowing the latter to develop freely above the band. Further, as shown in Fig. 5 the successive increase in size of the abdomen is represented by dotted lines, the arrow i indicating the principal direction of increase along which the band extends in supporting the infant, while the arrow j indicates the direction of support by the loins and by the lower inextensible part of the band.

Conveniently perineal straps may be arranged on the border 6, being secured either directly or by buttons, thereby maintaining the band in position.

It will be understood that the invention is not in any way limited to the arrangements more particularly indicated, but includes place of a single fabric a, several superposed elastic bands are employed.

hat I claim is 1. A maternity. band comprising a fiat front part of elastic fabric expansible in the direct-ion of the length of said band having the elasticity of the upper portion unimpeded throughout the length thereof, nonelastic elements arrangedat intervals on the lower portion of said front part and secured to it so as to substantially reduce the clasticity of said lower portion, a non-elastic border secured to said front part around its lower edge and a belt secured to said border and adapted to cooperate with the back of the wearer to support said front part in such a way that the supporting thrust is taken solely by the portion of the reduced elasticity leaving the part of greatest elasticityfreely expansible.

2. A maternity band comprising a fiat front part of elastic fabric expansible, in the direction of the length thereof, having the elasticity ofthe upper portion unimpeded throughout the length of the front part, nonelastic elements arranged at intervals on the 1 lower portion of said front part and secured to it so as to substantially reduce the clasticity of said lower portion, anon-elastic border secured to said front part around its lower edge, said non-elastic elements being secured to said border and a belt secured to vmodified arrangements, particularlywhen in i said border and. adapted to cooperate with the back of the wearer to support said front part in such a way that the supporting thrust is taken solely by the portion of reduced elasticity leaving the part of greatest elasticity freely expansible. i

In testimony whereof I have affixed signature in presence of two WltIlGSSGS.

' FREDERIC GEORGES BAUGATZ.

Witnesses:

C AS. P. PnnssLY, EUGENE. J LLIN. 

